India, Feb. 9 -- To know trees, one must take not the path less travelled but the path not travelled at all by humans. Citizens of the tricity have a wonderful opportunity to explore and be among the company of diverse native trees, bushes, flowers and flora that bedeck the Shivalik foothills.

These "tree houses" are within easy access from the tricity's sprawl. The infinite floral manifestations of nature that clothe the foothills are invaluable in curbing soil erosion from the loose, fragile and "geologically-young" Shivaliks. There are many "daring" trees that have taken root on eroding cliffs and valiantly cling onto the remaining half of the hillock like mountaineers hanging in mid-air.

Wandering to the tree horizon of the Shivalik...